Effects of a Psycho-Social Support Programme for Young Men — Randomised Trial of the Time Out! Getting Life Back on Track Programme

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the Time Out! Getting Life Back on Track support programme could influence the psycho-social well-being in an identified risk group of young men. A total of 356 young men exempted from military or civil service were randomly assigned to an intervention and a control group. Men in the intervention group (N = 182) were offered a personal counsellor. The data were collected using questionnaires, interviews and register data. At one-year follow-up psychological distress had decreased in the intervention group more than among controls. The intervention had no impact on alcohol use, self-assessed quality of life, problem accumulation, selfconfidence or contentment. The accumulation of problems poses a challenge for the development of interventions targeted at young people. Even small-scale support can have a positive impact on the general well-being of young men.

Keywords:

• intervention
• randomised trial
• young men
• psycho-social well-being
• military service
• prevention